About me

In order to create appropriate experiences that align with people’s needs, wants, and dreams, designers need to maximise participation of every stakeholder in the design process. With 8 years of experience in user experience and interaction design, I graduated from the Master in Graphic Design at NCSU, a program that focuses on research-based design, expanding my skills in communication and user experience design.

Right now I’m running the UX Clinic, an initiative to share design expertise with the software development community, broadcasting a new episode every three weeks via a Hangout On Air.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Visiting UX Design ResearcherNearsoft // January 2014 – Present

Organizing and running the UX Clinic, an initiative to share our design expertise with the community

Giving structure and consolidating the UX Team, leading a group of designers through the implementation of the Human-Centered Design approach

Facilitating workshops for software developers to practice and get familiar with the design process

Teacher AssistantNorth Carolina State University // August 2012 – May 2013

Facilitated in-class critiques and discussions where students were encouraged to analyze the role of the used technologies in the construction of meaning

Presented and created graphic design demonstrations for digital photography, large format representational techniques, and 2D animation

Prepared drafts for different projects that helped to reshape the course based on results of a previous research assistantship

Research AssistantNorth Carolina State University // January 2012 – May 2012

Research Project: Methods for Teaching Technology at the Undergraduate LevelFaculty Researcher: Associate Professor Santiago PiedrafitaPurpose: To identify areas of opportunity for the development of web-based courses and online curriculum in the graphic design bachelor’s program

Conducted an in-depth analysis of articles, organisations, and websites to identify parameters that would support student learning through a variety of technologies based on principles of experience design.

Redesigned web-based assignments to better represent parts of the design process in an online environment.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

LANGUAGES

English (bilingual proficiency) // Spanish (native language)

PUBLICATIONS

Social Play and Bimanual Activities through Interactive Experiences for Children with Cerebral Palsy.International Association of Societies of Design Research 2013 Conference Proceedings // August 2013

This paper explores a digital interactive system as a means for promoting social play and the mastery of bimanual activities in children between six and eight years old with Cerebral Palsy. Achievements of both of these goals will improve their performance in daily activities and have roles that are more active in social settings. Prototypes shown feature the design of multiplayer interactive experiences in combination with Tangible User Interfaces (TUI) – a type of interface that combines physical objects and digital interfaces– adding the therapeutic benefit gained from manipulating physical objects.

GRANTS AND AWARDS

Game Art and Development SemifinalistAdobe Design Achievement Awards // July 2013

Achieved semifinal status in the 2013 Adobe Design Achievement Awards. The Adobe® Design Achievement Awards celebrate student achievement reflecting the powerful convergence of technology and the creative arts. The competition – which showcases individual and group projects created with industry–leading Adobe creative software– honors the most talented and promising student graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, animators, digital filmmakers, game developers and computer artists from the world’s top institutions of higher education.

For 24 hours, ten student teams from all over the world competed online to design a concept that brings together users with different backgrounds for their mutual benefit, thus showing how technology can empower through interaction.

Graduate Faculty Award for Academic ExcellenceNorth Carolina State University // May 2013

Demonstration of academic and design excellence, contribution to the learning environment and potential to engage the profession.

8th Annual NC State Graduate Research SymposiumThe Graduate School and the University Graduate Student Association – North Carolina State University // March 2013

In recognition of outstanding research in Design discipline

Fulbright ScholarThe Fulbright Foreign Student Program // July 2011

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

Excellence in Teaching AwardUniversidad Tec Milenio // May 2010

Every year the Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes the achievement and dedication of eight faculty members from each campus.

North American Mobility Exchange GrantTrilateral Consortium on Capacity Building in Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies (CCRDS) // August 2003

This project focuses on strengthening our social capital through the development of human resources for community rehabilitation and disability study contexts. The immediate target group are students preparing for future positions as rehabilitation professionals and leaders of disabled peoples’ organizations.